It is nothing new, but, once again, Melvin Ejim is a man on a mission.

The Brampton native has always flown under the radar and that continues to be the case, even though he is the reigning Big 12 Conference player of the year and the owner of the conference record for points in a game (48 earlier this year in his senior season for Iowa State).

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound second-team All-American played power forward for the Cyclones, but will likely have to move to the small forward spot to catch on in the NBA.

He’s considered a potential second-round selection, despite his prowess on the court, his academic success and high-calibre character.

While NBA teams often look at four-year college players negatively, Ejim thinks his maturity should help his cause.

“Any time you can be more mature, grow up a little bit, that helps you in any situation,” he said Thursday.

“Especially in the NBA, where you are playing grown men. It’s important. Coaches don’t want to feel like they are dealing with children, somebody that they’ve got to watch, that is going to be a problem.”

Ejim played for Fred Hoiberg, who runs an NBA-style of offence, but still, flashier, younger prospects seem to get all of the attention.

No problem, he says.

“They said stay in college, get better, every year I got better, every year I proved the people wrong and I did better. Even going into this draft, there are some doubts. I think I have an incredible resume, but there are still doubts,” he said.

“That’s the story of my life. It’s only a matter of time until I prove them wrong and that’s what I want to do. I love playing with that chip on my shoulder and I’d rather be this way.”

Ejim compared himself to heady glue players like Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, Atlanta’s DeMarre Carroll and Miami’s Shane Battier, who also switched positions upon making the NBA out of Duke.

“I think I bring a lot of those intangibles, a lot of versatility. Those are valuable pieces to teams. Vocal guys that help you win.

“I think I bring a lot to the table and a team that chooses to invest in me is going to have nothing to worry about and someone that is going to work hard every day, push guys on the team, want to be coached, want to get better.”

BUSY RAPTORS

The Raptors brought a large contingent of staffers to Chi-town to check out most of the draft’s top prospects (the top three were absent, but the Raptors pick 20th, so that is not a huge deal). Masai Ujiri was there, along with most of his front office, including Wayne Embry.

Ujiri, who has a scouting background, said he and his staff have seen the players of interest many times, so the combine will not make or break any prospect, but it is an opportunity to see how tall and athletic they are in person against their peers.

Teams can interview 18 different players at the combine and Toronto had interviews lined up with players at a variety of positions. A sampling: Canadians Tyler Ennis (point guard) and Nik Stauskas (shooting guard), NCAA player of the year Doug McDermott (small forward), Clemson’s C.J. McDaniels (small forward), Louisiana Lafayette point guard Elfrid Payton, UCLA combo guard Kyle Anderson.

The players are trained to say the right things, but sounded genuine when asked about potentially playing for Toronto.

“I definitely feel that (he is a big, athletic small forward, something Toronto is looking for),” McDaniels said. “I definitely bring defensive intensity to any team. Just being athletic, going out there defending and doing the little things, playing my role.

Payton is the son of the elder Elfrid Payton, the CFL’s second-leading all-time sackmaster.

“I’ve probably been (to Canada) like twice. It’s a nice place. I know there is a little bit of interest, I wouldn’t mind playing for Toronto,” he said.

“I like what’s going on up there, I like what they’re doing, changing the culture, turning the organization around, and (becoming a) winning organization. I’d like to be a part of that.”

Anderson said he also paid attention to the team’s turnaround this season and McDermott, a hockey fan from South Dakota, said he would be a natural fit.

WEIRD QUESTIONS

Teams like to toss a curve ball or two at the prospects they are interviewing at the combine, in order to see how they react.

Ennis said he was asked how he celebrates after a big win, about girlfriends, to pick the five players on the team he is talking to he would play in crunch time and even to draw up a last-second play.

“Those aren’t the type of questions you prep for,” he said.

Some players just started laughing when asked the oddest thing a questioner challenged them with.

Stauskas said he had been talking with the Minnesota Timberwolves in a serious sit-down, when, suddenly, he was asked how many pennies are in a million dollars.

His answer? “One hundred million, of course,” he said.

It appears he is better at both basketball and math than the assembled media.

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Canadian Ejim on a mission at NBA combine

It is nothing new, but, once again, Melvin Ejim is a man on a mission.

The Brampton native has always flown under the radar and that continues to be the case, even though he is the reigning Big 12 Conference player of the year and the owner of the conference record for points in a game (48 earlier this year in his senior season for Iowa State).

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound second-team All-American played power forward for the Cyclones, but will likely have to move to the small forward spot to catch on in the NBA.

He’s considered a potential second-round selection, despite his prowess on the court, his academic success and high-calibre character.

While NBA teams often look at four-year college players negatively, Ejim thinks his maturity should help his cause.

“Any time you can be more mature, grow up a little bit, that helps you in any situation,” he said Thursday.

“Especially in the NBA, where you are playing grown men. It’s important. Coaches don’t w